The Fight Against Black Depression Continues

Though studies say Black Americans don’t suffer from higher rates of depression than their white counterparts Therese Borchard, an editor for PsychCentral, found that many African-Americans tend to repress feelings of depression and other mental health disorders.

Historical relics of slavery, poverty and broken homes continue to haunt African-Americans today — a sign that more attention is needed on the mental health of Black Americans.

In an article, Borchard wrote, “When I participated in a six-week outpatient program at [Maryland’s] Laurel Hospital, half the group was African-American. The stories horrified me. Most of the African-Americans could not reveal to any member in their family what they were doing (the outpatient program) because the stigma was so deep and tall and wide.”

BET Reports:

For many reasons, mental-health issues remain a taboo in Black communities, some of which revere qualities like strength and self-reliance. Depression as a medical issue, which can find people seeking out the help of doctors and therapists, often doesn’t align with the norms of a poor, urban existence, though it certainly exists as much as it exists anywhere else.